Page 14 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 8, 2023 The Sounds of Saugus By Mark E. Vogler Good morning, Saugus! Vacations are nice, especially when you need to relax and rest up for health reasons. I appreciate all of the phone calls, text messages and emails from town readers, residents and town officials wishing me well as I recover from a medical procedure. But after two weeks of some needed time off, I’m glad to be back to covering news, people and special events in Saugus. And I plan to be in town tomorrow morning (Saturday, Sept. 9), bright and early, to hang out for several hours around Saugus Center for the 42nd Annual Founder’s Day – one of the top community events of the year and probably the one that draws the biggest crowd. Certainly, it’s the biggest fund-raising day of the year for many of the nonprofit organizations in town. That includes student groups that are trying to raise money for various school projects. My favorite of the fund-raising projects is the one organized by the Saugus Band Parents Association. Representatives of the group run a makeshift Jail, where school and town officials who volunteered to be humiliated for a good cause are paraded up Central Street after being arrested by band members. They are booked into the jail, dressed in prison clothes and given metal cups that they rattle through their jail cell bars, begging for their bail money. Every Founder’s Day, I like to hang out in front of the jail, snapping photos of the town and school officials who happen to be in the cell. And I usually bring a bunch of one dollar bills to put in their bail cups. So, if you want to see a selectman, School Committee member, school or town official or other volunteer jailbird behind bars, stop by the jail, which should be set up on Central Street. Have a good laugh at the town official’s expense, while making a contribution to a noble cause – to help the Saugus High School Band. And if the makeshift jail doesn’t interest you – and you’re still in a benevolent mood – there are plenty of charities to choose from. The place will be swarming with school-age kids trying to raise money for their various causes. The Boys Scouts, the Girl Scouts, Youth sports leagues, High School students seeking contributions to various clubs and activities will all be there. So will various churches, social organizations and various fraternal groups that contribute to the betterment of Saugus in their own way. Central Street will be closed off from the rotary at Town Hall nearly all the way up to the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site. For Saugus residents hoping to see their friends or newcomers to town who want to make some friends, Founder’s Day is a great event. Joyce Rodenhiser has a good way of summing up Founder’s Day: “Founder’s Day is a great time to see old friends and classmates! It’s a big block party with lots of food, fun, civic organizations, entertainment and shopping. Join us downtown to see what’s happening!!” Joyce, who is a member of the Founder’s Day “Persons of the Year Committee,” also noted that it’s important to not lose sight of the purpose of Founder’s Day: to honor the town’s proud heritage of its founders – from the town’s ancestors who contributed to the development of the town all the way through the contemporary founders who contribute to the betterment of Saugus. “At noon time, in front of our Saugus Town Hall, on Founder’s Day, the Persons of the Year will be announced! Come, see who has been helping Saugus be a better place because of what they have done voluntarily for Saugonians and organizations,” Joyce said. The Persons of the Year presentation is a Founder’s Day tradition that dates back to 1989, with that first award going to Stanley Day. In 1993, separate awards were presented to a woman and a man selected for the honor. The plaque is inscribed with this tribute: “In Recognition of Your Dedication to The Town of Saugus. This Award Truly Exemplifies the Outstanding Ideals and Spirit of Our Founding Fathers. THE TOWN OF SAUGUS SALUTES YOU.” Other than in two years when the presentation was postponed because of public health concerns related to COVID-19, this wonderful tradition has continued. Past recipients of the award have already met and selected a deserving man and woman for this year, who will be honored at noon. Many of the living past recipients will sit in chairs on a platform set up on the steps of Saugus Town Hall. For those SauThe 2022 “Person of The Year” Award recipients, Tom Sheehan and Laura Eisener, were recognized at Founder’s Day last year for their contributions to the betterment of Saugus. At noon tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 9), on the steps of Town Hall, there will be a special presentation when this year’s honorees are introduced. (Saugus Advocate file photo by Mark E. Vogler) gonians who attend Founder’s Day frequently, but haven’t taken the time to watch the Persons of the Year ceremony, it’s a great opportunity to meet and greet a collection of special people who have helped make Saugus a community that residents expect and love. If you go to Founder’s Day, embrace the essence of what the day is about. See you near the steps of Saugus Town Hall at noon on Sept. 9 Founder’s Day Book Sale The New Friends of the Saugus Public Library are preparing for their September 9 Founder’s Day Book Sale in the Community Room. They are asking for donations of gently used adult hardcover and softcover adult fiction and children’s books. Please limit donations to only adult fiction and children’s books; they do not have storage space for adult nonfiction or media like music CDs and DVDs. And please... clean and newer books only. No tattered pages, odors, stains or battered/ dirty covers! Books may be dropped off at the Library’s Main Circulation Desk during business hours. Please do not place donations in the outdoor book drops. Saugus Democratic Town Committee seeks new members The Saugus Democratic Town Committee currently has openings for new members. The primary function of the Committee is the selection and support of Democratic candidates for office both locally and at the state level. It also works to support voter education and voter registration. If you are a registered Democratic living in Saugus and are interested in playing an active role in the political process in Saugus as a Democrat, contact Committee Chairman Joe Malone at lincoln66in56@verizon.net. Saugus High Band exhibit on display Sunday The Saugus Historical Society will hold an Open House of the Saugus High School Band exhibit on Sunday (Sept. 10) – one day after Founder’s Day – from 2 to 5 p.m. at 30 Main St. The exhibit showcases uniforms and photos from the Saugus High School Band, which has long been a proud institution in Saugus. The band, which was first formed in 1937, became renowned under the direction of Jerome Mitchell, who was the music director for many decades. In late fall 2022, the auditorium at the Saugus Middle-High School Complex was named the Lemoine-Mitchell Auditorium after him and beloved drama teacher Nancy Lemoine. Food Pantry notes The Saugus United Parish Food Pantry is open today (Friday, Sept 8) from 9:30-11 a.m.). Legion Breakfasts begin today Debbie Faust, building manager of Saugus American Legion Post 210, recently announced some good news for folks who enjoy the Friday morning breakfasts at Legion Hall: “The American Legion Post 210 at 44 Taylor Street in Saugus will be starting its weekly Friday morning breakfasts for the 2023-24 season on Friday, September 8. Doors open at 7:30, with breakfast served from 8-9:00 a.m. for an $8 donation. Veterans who cannot afford the donation may be served free.” Town Election Watch The nine seats on the Charter Commission continue to draw the most interest among local political races in the Nov. 7 town election as potential candidates pull nomination papers from the Town Hall. Four more town residents – all of them familiar faces at Saugus Town Hall or in town government – pulled papers this week, to make it a potential 26 candidates running for the nine seats. The latest candidates to express an interest in serving on a panel to study potential changes in Saugus governance are Jeannie Meredith, an administrative aide to Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree; Board of Selectmen Vice Chair Debra Panetta, a veteran of more than three decades in local government; Precinct 9 Town Meeting Member Robert J. Long, who served for 18 years as a former town moderator; and Precinct 4 Town Meeting Member Maureen WhitROUNDTABLE | SEE PAGE 15
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